E THOMAS, daughter of Henry Thomas
MRS. ROUS, mother of George and Henry Rous
MRS. BULGIN, wife of John Bulgin
MRS. YEO, wife of a workman
A PARLOURMAID to the Underwoods
JAN, Madge's brother, a boy of ten
A CROWD OF MEN ON STRIKE

ACT I. The dining-room of the Manager's house.

ACT II,
SCENE I. The kitchen of the Roberts's cottage near the works.
SCENE II. A space outside the works.

ACT III. The drawing-room of the Manager's house.

The action takes place on February 7th between the hours of noon and
six in the afternoon, close to the Trenartha Tin Plate Works, on the
borders of England and Wales, where a strike has been in progress
throughout the winter.

ACT I

It is noon. In the Underwoods' dining-room a bright fire is
burning. On one side of the fireplace are double-doors leading
to the drawing-room, on the other side a door leading to the
hall. In the centre of the room a long dining-table without a
cloth is set out as a Board table. At the head of it, in the
Chairman's seat, sits JOHN ANTHONY, an old man, big,
clean-shaven, and high-coloured, with thick white hair, and thick
dark eyebrows. His movements are rather slow and feeble, but his
eyes are very much alive. There is a glass of water by his side.
On his right sits his son EDGAR, an earnest-looking man of thirty,
reading a newspaper. Next him WANKLIN, a man with jutting
eyebrows, and silver-streaked light hair, is bending over transfer
papers. TENCH, the Secretary, a short and rather humble, nervous
man, with side whiskers, stands helping him. On WANKLIN'S right
sits UNDERWOOD, the Manager, a quiet man, with along, stiff jaw,
and steady eyes. Back to the fire is SCANTLEBURY, a very large,
pale, sleepy man, with grey hair, rather bald. Between him and
the Chairman are two empty chairs.

WILDER. [Who is lean, cadaverous, and complaining, with drooping
grey moustaches, stands before the fire.] I say, this fire's the
devil! Can I have a screen, Tench?

SCANTLEBURY. A screen, ah!

TENCH. Certainly, Mr. Wilder. [He looks at UNDERWOOD.] That is--
perhaps the Manager--perhaps Mr. Underwood----

SCANTLEBURY. These fireplaces of yours, Underwood----

UNDERWOOD. [Roused from studying some papers.] A screen? Rather!
I'm sorry. [He goes to the door with a little smile.] We're not
accustomed to complaints